Review: Looking for Alaska

My Rating: ★★★★★

Looking for Alaska is the second book of John Green's that I read and absolutely loved. After reading The Fault in Our Stars, I was fascinated by John Green's writing and decided that I definitely have to check out his other books as well. It's safe to say that that was a very wise decision.

Looking for Alaska is a story about enigmatic girl Alaska Young. The protagonist of the novel, Miles Halter, tells the story of his experience at Culver Creek Boarding School, where he meets his new friends, Chip "The Colonel", Takumi, Lara and the mysterious Alaska. Together, they go through usual high school problems, such as finding yourself or life's meaning, smoking and drinking illegally and planning possibly the funniest pranks Culver Creek has heard of. 

Although Miles isn't the popular type, or even the type that has had a lot of friends in school, he quickly becomes wrapped in his new friends' world, being drawn to Alaska with an incredible force. Alaska is intelligent, funny and attractive and Miles falls for her hard. The only thing standing in his way is Alaska's boyfriend, Jake. Even so, Miles continues to pursuit Alaska, even if he knows they won't be more than friends.

With Alaska's mood swings, Miles desperation continues to grow. Does he love this unpredictable girl or not? While they continue to go as friends, Miles' questions shatter his peace and start to affect the others as well. But one night, one sudden event will change everything around Miles and The Colonel. The world Miles thought he knew gets taken away from him in an instant. Nothing will ever be the same. 

As it was to be expected with one of John Green's books,Looking for Alaska left me with a bitter taste. It also possibly left me heartbroken. At times it was very funny while other times it was truly sad. The worst kind of sadness you can possibly feel is the one where something hurts you so much and still you can't cry and let it all out. Instead you keep it in and it eats at your soul. My experience with Looking for Alaska was very similar to this worst kind of sadness.

However, I loved this book. I thought it was amazing, heartbreaking, funny and sad. I loved Alaska Young and I loved The Colonel. I didn't think that there would be the problem of life and death in this book but I was obviously wrong, as it turns out this is one of John Green's main themes. I did like the whole meaning-of-life topic and even the one of finding-your-true-self and I appreciated the realistic outcome of the book.

MFB: Beautiful Disaster (Beautiful # 1)

“I knew the second I met you that there was something about you I needed. Turns out it wasn’t something about you at all. It was just you.” 

     Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire is one of the first YA romances I have read and I must say that I loved it. It had such a big impact on me because it was a different book, in a good way. The love story was intense and beautiful and the characters felt genuine to me. I really liked the protagonist, Abby, and I loved experiencing the story from her point of view. After reading Beautiful Disaster I found out that the author wrote another book that tells the story from Travis' point of view and I was curious to read that one as well. It was an interesting journey, reading the same story again but from a male perspective because it was almost fascinating to get inside Travis' mind.

Here is the official description of the book:

"INTENSE. DANGEROUS. ADDICTIVE.
Abby Abernathy is a good girl. She doesn’t drink or swear, and she has the appropriate number of cardigans in her wardrobe. Abby believes she has enough distance from the darkness of her past, but when she arrives at college with her best friend, her path to a new beginning is quickly challenged by Eastern University’s Walking One-Night Stand.
Travis Maddox, lean, cut, and covered in tattoos, is exactly what Abby wants—and needs—to avoid. He spends his nights winning money in a floating fight ring, and his days as the ultimate college campus charmer. Intrigued by Abby’s resistance to his appeal, Travis tricks her into his daily life with a simple bet. If he loses, he must remain abstinent for a month. If Abby loses, she must live in Travis’s apartment for the same amount of time. Either way, Travis has no idea that he has met his match."

     I absolutely loved Abby Abernathy. She was a great protagonist and what I liked most about her was the fact that she didn't fall head over heels for Travis from the first moment. Unlike all the other girls who were desperate just to get his attention, Abby was actually not interested in Travis in the beginning. Although he tried his best to get her to see him, she just wasn't impressed by him like every other girl. I suppose that's one of the main reasons Travis liked her so much.

     Travis Maddox was a very interesting character, to say the least. At times, I thought he was a bit crazy and I feared for his sanity or for Abby's safety, but he (almost) always tries to keep her safe, even though sometimes he unwillingly puts her in danger. Even so, Travis always protected Abby and tried to keep her out of harm's way. Although at times I felt like he didn't deserve her, I was glad to see that they remained together because I felt like Abby was his clarity.

     Sometimes, I felt like Travis and Abby's relationship was somewhat of a disaster - see what I did there? Their love becomes obsessive and codependent and, at times, it feels disturbing that Travis was so obsessed with Abby, practically becoming her stalker, and that Abby would put up with all of Travis' mood swings. There are certain points in this book where you stop and ask yourself whether this is a healthy relationship. The answer is no, their relationship is anything but healthy. However, two people madly in love will always find their way back to each other, even after being apart for a while. This was also the case of Travis & Abby. 

      Beautiful Disaster is a very nice romance novel that will leave us all with an important lesson - the importance of having someone who will always be there for you, no matter how much you've hurt them your even yourself. Having someone you can always rely on is extremely rare these days, so we can call Travis and Abby really lucky. I recommend this book to anyone who's looking for an intense romance book.

Review: Anna (The Starseed Series # 1)

My Rating: ★★★☆☆

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. 

Anna is a science-fiction/paranormal YA novel and the first book in The Starseed Trilogy by Meghan Riley. It tells the story of your (apparently) ordinary teenage girl struggling with basic problems such as her high school experience and her crush on the most popular boys in her school, Steve. Only Anna is not ordinary. She has a set of freckles on her arm that resemble a constellation, which throughout the story turn out to be something else than freckles.

I liked the writing of this book, I felt like it was well written. In the second half of the book, things started to get more intense and I liked reading those chapters when Anna finally decides to take action and find out where all the strange things happening to her are coming from. Seeking help in those closest to her, Anna slowly begins to make connections and understand what is happening to her, but the realization might just put her life in danger.

I thought that this book was really slow in the beginning. Sure, it had to start with some insight on the main character's life but I felt like it just took too much to actually get to the central idea. However, once it did get to that part, it did feel like the book started to get more fast-paced and more interesting things started to occur. Another thing that really annoyed me was Anna's obsession with Steve in the beginning. Like Heather mentioned at some point, he was all she ever talked about, worrying about the stupidest little things over him. I get being in high school with getting your crush's attention as your number one worry but I felt like she was exaggerating. However, when her hallucinations and visions start to get worse (and after she discovers Steve might not be so nice after all), Anna does start to pay attention to more important things rather than her crush. 

Overall, I liked the plot of this book. The apparitions of the Shadow Man were very intriguing, keeping the pressure high at several points throughout the book. I was actually very excited every time he appeared because I was curious to see what would happen next. I also liked the character of Jared a lot, that is until the big revelation in the ending. I was a bit disappointed with that plot twist, not because it wasn't good, but because I really liked Jared so you can only imagine my feelings when I found out the truth. 

I give this book three stars simply because I think it can get a lot better since it has a lot of potential. I was a little bit intrigued by the ending, therefor I think I can say that I would like to check out the sequel as well, when it does come out. I think Ms. Riley did a great job with this book and it looks like the beginning of a very promising trilogy. I recommend Anna to fans of science-fiction and paranormal/mystery.

Today In My Mail

     Hey, everyone! I know that it's Sunday today but this isn't a post of a review or a favorite book. Due to the fact that I was very busy last month with my exams, I wasn't able to read too much and my reading routine was pretty much ruined, unfortunately. However, I do have some time off now - finally. I want to get back on track with my reading and so, I decided to buy a couple books and get started for the summer.

     I read The Fault in Our Stars a while ago and absolutely loved it, so I quickly became interested in John Green's work. I heard about other novels of his and decided that I wanted to check those out as well so I ordered them online. I bought An Abundance of Katherines (left picture) and Looking for Alaska (right picture).

                           An Abundance of Katherines        Looking for Alaska

      I will be leaving on a trip tomorrow but I will be sure to bring at least one of the two books with me to read whenever I have some free time. I heard various opinions of these books, some people loved them while others hated them. I hope that I will like them as much as I liked The Fault in Our Stars because I'm running out of favorite books to post! :)

July Books

Here are the books I have read this month:

• Anna (The Starseed Trilogy) by Meghan Riley; my rating: ★★★☆☆

• Looking for Alaska by John Green; my rating: ★★★★★

• Four: A Divergent Story Collection by Veronica Roth; my rating ★★★★☆

MFB: The Fault in Our Stars

“You don't get to choose if you get hurt in this world...but you do have some say in who hurts you. I like my choices.”

     I absolutely loved this book. I loved every little bit of it. I think it's safe to say that this is one of the BEST books I have ever read. It is definitely the best book I read this year. It doesn't have any supernatural elements, it is downright realistic and I think that makes it have such a great impact. We're talking about real problems, diseases that exist and that people confront with.
The Fault in Our Stars is an emotional rollercoaster. Arm yourself with a couple boxes of tissues if you venture into reading it. If you haven't read this book yet, I strongly recommend you do it now.
This book has everything. It has comedy, it has drama, it has romance, friendship and family. It made me laugh and it made me cry. It made me smile and it made me sob. 

Here is the official description of the book:

"Despite the tumor-shrinking medical miracle that has bought her a few years, Hazel has never been anything but terminal, her final chapter inscribed upon diagnosis. But when a gorgeous plot twist named Augustus Waters suddenly appears at Cancer Kid Support Group, Hazel's story is about to be completely rewritten."

     Hazel Grace Lancaster is a great main character. She is a sixteen year old teenager who has been diagnosed with stage 4 Thyroid cancer. What I really loved about her is how down to earth she was. She knew exactly what her illness meant and she knew that she was going to die, eventually. She was not in denial, looking for hope of survival everywhere, unlike other characters in books or movies who suffer from whatever illness. However, despite all this, she never wanted to be a burden. She wanted her parents to be happy and she always put their wellbeing ahead of her own needs. 

     Augustus Waters is, as well, an amazing male lead. He is gorgeous, he is funny and he is just a great presence to be around. He starts falling for Hazel when they meet at Cancer Support Group. After Hazel states her opinion about Augustus' fear of oblivion, he says "Aren't you something else." I fell in love with him with that very line. He was diagnosed with cancer as well, but after having his leg amputated, his cancer retreats. He and Hazel form an immediate bond, starting off as close friends and slowly falling in love with each other.

     I honestly don't know what else to write about this book because it literally left me speechless. What else can I say, rather than that this book broke my heart and that I loved it and hated it at the same time? I think that this is a great book that teaches us about the importance of life, of that which we have. For people who are not struggling with such serious problems life loses its meaning in this desperate race of ours to acquire material happiness. For Hazel and Augustus, happiness means falling in love with each other and sadness means having your heart broken because of the tragic doom of death. 

      The ending was another emotional bit for me and I loved how it all ended, reminding me a bit of An Imperial Affliction, Hazel's favorite book. We do not get to know what happens with the characters after the book ends, we simply get to think about it. I recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a sweet, heartbreaking love story about two amazing people who taught me how to better appreciate life. 

     The Fault in Our Stars is now also a movie production, starring Shailene Woodley as Hazel Grace Lancaster and Ansel Elgort as Augustus Waters. In theatres now!

Review: Easy (Contours of the Heart # 1)

My Rating: ★★★☆☆

Easy was a very good romance book that left me feeling very sad that I don't have my own Lucas. The novel tells the story of Jacqueline, a girl struggling with normal college problems like being dumped by your boyfriend or almost being raped by a guy she'd never thought capable of doing it. 

Jacqueline is attending a Halloween party with her best friend Erin and when she decides to leave early, she is attacked by a popular frat guy in the parking lot. She struggles to stop him from abusing her but is too weak against him. That's when Lucas comes in, saving the day and Jacqueline's dignity. This is just the beginning of the story. I love the way this book starts, keeping the reader in tension and fearing for Jacqueline's fate. 

Lucas saves Jacqueline from her attacker Buck and after safely driving her back to campus they slowly begin to develop a friendship. Jacqueline is intrigued by the stranger who saves her life the night of the attack but what she doesn't know is that Lucas is anything but a stranger. He has been watching her for a while (in a way that's totally not stalker-like, mind you) but he doesn't know her. Becoming her savior might just give him the chance to finally get her attention. 

What I really appreciated about this book was that it touched on the delicate matter of rape and abuse repeatedly but it did so in an elegant way, succesfully involving a controversial problem that should only open our eyes more to the world we live in. I also found Lucas an intriguing character, struggling with his own demons but also trying to open up to the girl he falls in love with. Jacqueline is also struggling with finding out who she really is and how she must act to protect herself from Buck who only gets worse with time. 

Easy was a very fast read, I really liked the writing and both Jacqueline and Lucas. One other character I really liked was Erin, I thought she was funny and very supportive of Jacqueline. A very sweet, lovely romance book about people with secrets and hopes, I recommend this book to everyone who's looking for a college romance!

MFB: Divergent (Divergent # 1)

“Becoming fearless isn't the point. That's impossible. It's learning how to control your fear, and how to be free from it.” 

     Divergent is the first installment in the well-known dystopian trilogy Divergent written by Veronica Roth and one of my favorite books. The book tells the story of sixteen year-old Tris Prior, a teenage girl struggling to find her true identity. I loved this book from the moment I started reading it to the very end.

     I first came across Divergent when I was browsing on Goodreads. After hearing so many good things about it and seeing the wide popularity that the book kept gaining, I decided that I wanted to check it out. And, boy, am I glad that I did! Divergent quickly became one of my favorite books and I read it very fast because I just had to keep turning the pages. It has everything a reader wants: action, conflict, character development, romance. 

Here is the official description of the book: 

"In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago world, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue--Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is--she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.
During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles alongside her fellow initiates to live out the choice they have made. Together they must undergo extreme physical tests of endurance and intense psychological simulations, some with devastating consequences. As initiation transforms them all, Tris must determine who her friends really are--and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes exasperating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers unrest and growing conflict that threaten to unravel her seemingly perfect society, Tris also learns that her secret might help her save the ones she loves . . . or it might destroy her."

     One of the main things that I loved about this book was the protagonist, Tris. She was one of the best characters of the book and one of my favorite book heroines of all time. She wasn't whiny, she wasn't weak and she was always true to herself, while trying to help the others as best as she could. Even though in the beginning she didn't understand the true concept of selflessness and bravery, that changes throughout the series and it changes in a good way. Tris evolves a lot as a character, eventually becoming strong, brave and selfish. 

     Another thing (or should I say character) that I loved about Divergent was Four. He was a very good supporting character, a mysterious boy with a strange past. I loved how his relationship with Tris evolved from initiate-instructor to a true romance. I felt like Four genuinely tried to help Tris discover and defeat her fears and without his help, Tris never would have made it through Dauntless initiation. He is also one of my favorite book characters of all time.

     Overall, this book had everything. Good protagonists, good antagonists, good conflict, good friendships and good romance. Divergent will always be one of my favorite books and even though the following two books weren't as good as the first one - in my opinion, anyway - I really liked this series. I even prefer it to The Hunger Games, which says a lot because I loved The Hunger Games trilogy. What's even best, Divergent is now also a series of movies, starring Shailene Woodley, Theo James and Kate Winslet as Tris, Four and Jeanine, respectively. I definitely recommend this book to everyone who likes dystopias because it is an excellent read!

Review: Enders (Starters # 2)

My Rating: ★★☆☆☆

Enders is the sequel to Lissa Price's debut novel, Starters, and the conclusion to it. After Callie Woodland's donor, Helena, fails to kill the Senator as she had planned since renting Callie's body at Prime Destinations, Callie regains control of her life. She and her brother, along with Michael, remain to live in Helena's house as she leaves it to them as a reward for Callie's help. Things are slowly starting to settle for Callie and her loved ones. But the peace doesn't last long and soon enough, Callie finds herself in the middle of a dangerous conflict between Enders and Starters.

The Old Man can now access Callie at any time through her chip. What's worse is that he can seem to have more control each time he contacts Callie. At first, he can pretend to be someone else by speaking in different voices. Later, he can literally use Starters to do whatever he wants in his attempt to obtain the victory he seeks. Callie is determined to find and stop him.

Along the way, Callie is separated from her little brother whom she can no longer protect. She meets mysterious Hyden, who just so happens to be the Old Man's son. Hyden has his own plans to defeat the Old Man but he needs Callie. Together, they team up in the attempt to stop the Old Man's cruel plans. Working together, they begin searching for other Metals, Starters who have chips in their brains, and they assemble a team to fight against the Old Man's army.

Eventually, they get closer and closer to the Old Man but are ambushed and kidnapped by Dawson, who wants nothing else but to use them. Callie finally finds Emma, except she's not what Callie would have expected. In the attempt of having their chips removed, Callie and her friends ask for Dawson's surgeon help. Emma's surgery goes horribly long and she is killed by the chip. After they manage to escape Dawson's facility, they finally make it to the Old's Man hideout. It is here where Callie learns the true identity of the Old Man, discovery that threatens to separate Callie, Hyden and Michael. However, they stick together to the very end and they manage to defeat the Old Man.

Enders isn't any better than Starters, in my opinion. When I first started this series I had high hopes but unfortunately I didn't really like it. I was mostly bored throughout the whole book and I'm surprised I actually managed to finish it. I was expecting a little bit more romance between Callie and Hyden but I didn't get to see that either. The plot twist about the Old Man's identity didn't shock me either - I simply wasn't affected by it at all. I'm not trying to judge this book or the author, I'm just stating my honest opinion. I thought this book had a lot of potential but it really wasn't extraordinary. Maybe it just wasn't my style.

Update: Getting Back on Track

     Hello everyone! I finally have good news -- my exams are finally over! Even though I don't have my results yet, I am able to say that I finally have some free time for myself. That means that I can get back to working on my blog. Starting on Monday, I'm going to start posting again -- regularly! New reviews, new favorite books and much more! 

     I am very excited to get back to Denise Reads & Reviews as it has been a long time since I've written a review and I missed it! I have some new books that I have to read & review and I'm also working on a special post about some summer reads. That being said, I'm ready to get back on track with the blog and I hope you'll still be here when I return with a new review on Monday. Thank you for baring with me during my exams period!